Media Notes

NBA China has struck a multiyear deal with Tencent Holdings Ltd. to
create a comprehensive online NBA community across six of its web
properties. Content included in the pact involves live and on-demand
games, video highlights, blogs, statistics, news, e-commerce, fantasy
gaming and other material. A premium-level, subscription-based
component is also under development. "Tencent is at the forefront of
innovation in the online space in China and an ideal partner to help us
deliver more interactive digital experiences to our fans," NBA
Commissioner David Stern said in a statement (Eric Fisher, SportsBusiness Journal).

AN AZTEC TEASE: The San Diego State men's
basketball team is currently ranked No. 6 in the country with a 17-0
record, and in San Diego, Jay Posner notes the team's next three games
will air on Channel 4 San Diego. The station is "producing its own
telecast" of next Wednesday's game against Air Force and is
"simulcasting the CBS College Sports telecast" of Saturday's game at
New Mexico and the Jan. 26 game at BYU. However, beginning with the
Jan. 29 game against Wyoming, seven of SDSU's "final 10 regular season
games will be carried only on The Mtn., which shuts out everyone in San
Diego County except some Cox digital and DirecTV subscribers." Posner
writes it is "ridiculous that the Mountain West Conference doesn't have
wider TV distribution for its channel." Posner: "The conference is at
the top of the blame list, but there's plenty for Time Warner, Dish and
AT&T, too" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 1/14).

TOO MUCH TO GO AROUND: The GLOBE & MAIL's Bruce
Dowbiggin writes there currently is a "serious glut of prime-time TV
sports attractions" on Canadian television, meaning that "finding
prime-time slots to meet the demand for contracted events is
difficult." TSN President Stewart Johnston noted the net found itself
"in triple conflict situations maybe a dozen times" last year.
Johnston: "That's 12 more times than I'd like to have. We do have
TSN.ca (to handle some of the overflow). Is that the same as the HD TV
hanging from the wall? No." As a result, Dowbiggin wondered if viewers
are "in line for TSN3 or TSNU." Johnston: "A third network of some kind
certainly is not out of the question. Is it an offshoot channel or
3D-related? We'll see" (GLOBE & MAIL, 1/14).

RADIO JUNGLE TO ROAM: Bengals Dir of Corporate
Sales & Marketing Vince Cicero confirmed the team's radio rights
are "expiring with the end of the 2010-11 NFL season." In Cincinnati,
John Kiesewetter notes Cicero "won't share the Bengals' game plan yet,"
but it is "conceivable in this budget-conscious era that Clear Channel
could balk at the Bengals' price and end the 11-year deal for WLW-AM,
Cincinnati's top-rated station" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 1/14).